Tom Olson has taught a lot of players in his nearly 40 years as a golf instructor, and he's showing no signs of slowing down.

Olson has served as the director of Foresight Golf's Play Better Golf program since its inception more than two years ago. He teaches at The Republic on the Southeast Side, Tuesdays through Fridays, and at The Buckhorn in Comfort on Saturdays.

“I set my tent up and give complimentary lessons to golfers who have never had formal training,” Olson said.

By tent, Olson means his red canopy, which he sets up next to the practice tees at the two courses.

“After the first time, if they want to continue, it's (a small fee) for the next year,” he said. “We think it's helping golfers enjoy the game more because people enjoy golf more when they're playing well.”

Jim Bradford, a recently retired railroad worker with a passion for the game, said he “never seemed to get any better” before beginning lessons with Olson nearly two years ago.

“Tom is one of very few people I've ever met that genuinely cares more about whether you're improving than how much he's getting paid,” Bradford said. “If you listen, he'll make sure you get better.”

Olson knows a thing or two about teaching better golf.

After starting his coaching career in Chicago, he went back to teach in his home state, where he had played for the Arizona State golf team years earlier. While in Arizona, he coached numerous men's and women's players from the University of Arizona's teams. He also served as the primary coach of the legendary Annika Sorenstam for five years.

“(Annika) was a fantastic athlete,” Olson said. “She was always looking to improve.”

It was in Arizona where Olson met Ed Miller, the chief operating officer of Foresight Golf, who eventually convinced Olson to make the move to San Antonio.

Olson said that he once had aspirations of being a professional golfer, but ultimately decided he couldn't take all the traveling. He also said that playing golf every day made the game lose its luster.

Now Olson, 63, is focusing his time on coaching newcomers as young as 6 through the Better Golf program and lessons. He gives about 2,000 lessons per year, he said.

“The biggest thing is just to keep (the training) simple,” he said of teaching younger children. “Some of them can't even fully grasp junior clubs yet, so we just work on giving them the shape of what their swing should look like.

“We try to make it fun for them as they try to grasp it. They get distracted easily, but that's part of the process.”

Olson's students appreciate him for more than just his lessons.

“He's the kind of guy you just sit down with under his tent and have a conversation with,” Bradford said.